Kali Rapids Expeditions

Our last stop in this part of Anandapur (and the culmination of the Kali River Rapids queue) is the booking office for Kali Rapids Expeditions. Catering to the new wave of ecotourism in this part of Asia, Kali Rapids Expeditions makes its business on showcasing to tourists the natural, untouched rainforests of the Anandapur region.

The office is packed with details that help tell the story of this business and set you up for the adventure to come. The wall to the right features a map of the Kingdom of Anandapur, surrounded by rafting paddles personalized by some of the seasonal employees and interns who have worked at Kali Rapids Expeditions over the years. The paddle in the upper right actually includes the names of the Imagineering team members who helped create the attraction. In addition to their names, some have produced beautiful artwork on the paddles, along with conservation messages (some of which have been obscured by guest-produced graffiti).

A notice on the wall from the Ministry of Public Safety attests to the lifeguard qualifications of Manesha Gurung, the owner of Kali Rapids Expeditions, as well as the primary guides on her staff. This space also features a repeating slide show hosted by Manesha, introducing guests to the river rafting company, the beauty of the local rainforests and the threats those forests face from loggers.

The voice you hear is that of an actress, but just before the attraction opened in 1999, it was decided to also include a slide with a picture of Manesha Gurung. The woman seen on the slide was actually a Walt Disney World Security Hostess assigned to the Asia site during construction. On one occasion, she was posted at the entrance to the Maharajah Jungle Trek, where the ceiling of the structure is lined with Asian newspapers. Being of Southeast Asian descent, the Security Hostess was able to read Sanskrit and passed the time perusing the articles above her. She soon discovered, however, that several of the articles covered distinctly non-family-friendly subject matter. Once she brought this concern to the attention of the Imagineers, the problem was quickly rectified and the Security Hostess was brought on the project as a consultant. The photo of her as Manesha Gurung was the Imagineers' way of saying, "Thank you!"

The opposite wall of the booking office includes this chalk board on which the team can track which rafts are out of service or on different parts of the river. The names all draw inspiration from Asian places and things, including a reference to The Jungle Book with a bit of wordplay (Baloo Meaway).

There are plenty of other details in the office to reward those who take the time to pause and look. There are maps and pamphlets on things to see in the region, a frame displaying the first 100 rupee note earned by the rafting company and the ubiquitous portrait of the rajah.

Of course, like many prop-filled locations in the Disney Parks, there's even more to see when you look up. The rafters here are stocked with canoes, paddles, netting, coolers, life preservers and all manner of other equipment the teams leading an expedition might need.

Moving along the queue, you pass through the booking office into what would be the working office for the rafting company. Here, you'll find less marketing and more functionality. There is some nice art along the walls, paintings of the rafts and their passengers exploring various stretches of river (despite popular urban legend, that's not intended to be Michael Jackson in one of the rafts). There's also another map of Anandapur, this time placed on a desk where guides can use it to chart their course.

Pay close attention, too, to the books on the shelf and the broadcast coming in over the radio. That detail in particular serves to establish the fact that all is not well in the forests of the Anandapur District.

Finally, it's time to board your raft for a trip along the Chakranadi ("river that flows in a circle"). If you survive the geysers at the top of the lift, be sure to take notice of the rockwork on the river's edge. It forms the shape of a tiger's head. In concept phase, this attraction was to be called Tiger River Rapids and feature glimpses of live animals. It was later decided, though, to keep the tigers on the Maharajah Jungle Trek where guests could spend more time appreciating them.

Your raft is enveloped in the beauty of the rainforest, when suddenly the trees around you seem to vanish. You float into an area where illegal logging activity has stripped the mountaintop of trees. Flames burst from the burn zone, and a logging truck nearly slips off a mud bank, spilling its load in your direction. The only escape is beneath a fallen tree and down a waterfall (the first such effect ever built on a whitewater rafting attraction).

You make it back safely (and soaked) to Anandapur Township, but hopefully also come away with a new appreciation for nature and a desire to help preserve and protect it.